Relief news update from Turkey - 5 Aug 2009  
email to friend  E-mail this to a Friend    Print

Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association relief news update from Turkey.
Days of torrential rainfall overflowed rivers and caused a landslide in the northern provinces of Ordu, Artvin, Bolu and Bartın. Seven lives were lost and 11 others injured, with hundreds of buildings damaged. On July 17, Supreme Master Ching Hai donated US$20,000 for relief while sending her heartfelt sorrow and prayers.

This amount could obtain approximately US$78,000 in emergency supplies if purchased in the United States, based on the cost of living in Turkey.

Our Association’s relief team from Germany traveled to the heavily affected areas of the Black Sea region. In Bartın Province, local government officials said that the urgent needs of the victims had been covered.

Our relief team thus traveled to the town of Bulancak and Giresun, the capital city of Giresun province, where they purchased basic food necessities, as well as treats for the children.

Assisted by local officials, they delivered food packages to 200 households and gave 90 people envelopes containing cash assistance. They also distributed SOS flyers to inform people of the tolls vegan solution for global warming.

Later, Egemen, editor of a local Giresun newspaper as well as member of an animal protection association offered to publish an article about Supreme Master Ching Hai and our Association’s relief efforts.

On the way out of Giresun, our Association’s relief team met a gentleman named Fahrettin from a village in Giresun province, who said that 25 homes had been damaged there.

They give him the rest of Master’s donation to aid his fellow villagers, along with SOS flyers.
Fahrettin conveyed his gratitude and said he would adopt a vegetarian diet.Many thanks, Bulancak and Giresun officials and editor Egemen for your kind assistance and congratulations Mr. Fahrettin for your compassionate choice of the veg lifestyle.

We are also thankful to Supreme Master Ching Hai for bringing comfort to those in need and to our  Association’s relief team for their endeavors. With the grace of the Providence, may the Turkish people swiftly recover the normalcy of their daily lives as humanity’s increased stewardship helps to restore Earth’s stability.